Breaking: Jury Returns GUILTY Verdicts for All 4 Former Blackwater Guards Charged in Iraq Shootings

[Hissyspit]

@BreakingNews: Jury returns guilty verdicts for all 4 former Blackwater guards charged in Iraq shootings - @AP http://t.co/V41yyP9uZB

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/blackwater-case-former-guards-convicted-in-baghdad-mass-shootings

Jury convicts 4 former Blackwater guards charged in Baghdad shootings

CBS/AP
Oct 22, 2014 12:14 PM EDT

A federal jury has returned guilty verdicts for all four former Blackwater security guards on trial in the shootings of more than 30 Iraqi citizens in Baghdad.

The Sept. 16, 2007 shootings triggered an international uproar over the role of defense contractors in urban warfare. Blackwater had been hired by the State Department to protect American diplomats in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. Blackwater convoys of four heavily armored vehicles operated in risky environments where car bombs and attacks by insurgents were commonplace.

On trial were Paul Slough, Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty and Nicholas Slatten. Slatten was charged with first-degree murder, the others with voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and gun charges.

CBS News' Paula Reid reports that the verdict sheet asked the jury to make more than 100 separate findings pertaining to 33 counts against the four defendants.

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[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[samsingh]

2. good

[hedda_foil]

3. OMG... Justice. Real live justice. knr

[LondonReign2]

41. +1

it's so rare, this was a very pleasant surprise.

Wish they could also take down that asshole Prince

[madokie]

50. last I read prince move his sorry ass to the united arab imerates

http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/erik-prince-an-american-commando-in-exile-20121016

[burrowowl]

52. Prince should be prosecuted too!

He is a real criminal and so are those whose who hire mercenaries.
The US Government should rely only on our soldiers!

[bettyellen]

4. Wow- thanks!

[Dawson Leery]

5. All mercanaries are yellow.

All mercenaries work dishonorably.

[alfredo]

21. The dogs of war, the dregs of society.

[Scuba]

6. Good. Hopefully this will be a deterrent.

[aikoaiko]

7. That should send a good message.

[progressoid]

8. Wow. Was NOT expecting that.

[elias49]

9. Wow! Glad to hear it...

now we wait, I suppose, for appeals. At least they're not going to kill anyone else. Until they're in prison..then all bets are off.
Can't help but remark: what an interesting name "Evan Liberty" Really?

[TorchTheWitch]

10. Good

Too bad it took so damn long.

[Jamastiene]

11. Good! It's about time.

K&R

[Hortensis]

12. Excellent. Interesting that theseinitial verdicts were revealed, while the jury continues

its weeks of deliberations on a bunch of others.

What IS "voluntary manslaughter," anyway? Is that what people who just sort of get carried away by the enthusiasm of mass slaughter do?

[OrwellwasRight]

28. No, not at all.

It relates to killings in which the prepetrator is criminally liable, but whose actions were not intended to take a life. Essentailly you lack either the premeditation element required for Murder One, and the "abandoned and malignant heart" element requried for Murder Two.

According to the California Penal Code:

192. Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without
malice. It is of three kinds:
(a) Voluntary--upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion.
(b) Involuntary--in the commission of an unlawful act, not
amounting to felony; or in the commission of a lawful act which might
produce death, in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and
circumspection. This subdivision shall not apply to acts committed in
the driving of a vehicle.
(c) Vehicular ...

So in essence, you knew or should have known that your acts could kill someone, but you didn't have the specific intention to kill. I kind of hate the "heat of passion" argument as I think people should be required by law to keep the temper under control--at least to the level of not killing someone. It is too easy for people like an angry husband or wife to plan to kill their spouse but then claim something stupid like "I don't know what happened. The gun just went off in my hands. I never meant to kill." Bullshit.

[longship]

13. The evil DeVos family and their evil spawn and spouses.

AmWay!

[JustAnotherGen]

36. Erik is actually Betsy's brother

His father (her father as well) invented the sun visor/mirror visor/light visor which put his machine shop over the top.

These are not people I'm sympathetic to - but we have to make sure we are clear on details. If we make one mistake in connecting the Far Religious Right and how they influence - we will lose credibility.


So technically - Erik is the spawn of Prince Industries - and schooled and raised in Rushdooney theory (the sadistic). His sister being born into what a little of research finds is called the 'Dutch Mafia' in Western Michigan simply 'merged' with Dick Devos.

Regardless - these people have dark, darkness inside of them.

Glad to see some of their chickens come home to roost!

[malaise]

14. Good

now let's try Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al.

[Enthusiast]

17. Well said and +1!

[hifiguy]

27. I am with you on that.

All should be behind bars for the rest of their lives.

[xocet]

40. Indeed. n/t

[leftstreet]

45. +1

[sabrina 1]

15. This is good news, finally a few of the war criminals held accountable. This can't be posted often

enough imo.

I remember that horrific crime when it happened. I remember how outraged Democrats were and I remember the victims.

I hope this verdict isn't overturned. The US has a reputation for protecting its War Criminals. But for today a jury has done the right thing. Let's hope it eases the awful pain of the many victims' loved ones. I know they were fighting for some justice for a long, long time.

Good for that jury, that will do more for this country's image than all the 'humanitarian bombs' we drop on all these countries combined.

The jury spoke for us, our leaders rarely do.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. If verdict is held, then we need to watch the sentencing phase.

Still lots of loopholes to sew up.

[sabrina 1]

32. Yes, I know. I have little faith in our 'justice' system, which is why I said that the jury

spoke for us TODAY. I will be very surprised if they spend any time in jail. But hopefully they will however naive that hope is.

[calimary]

16. Excellent news. Justice. For once.

Fucking mercenary blackwater goons. Finally got theirs.

[Enthusiast]

18. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

I would like to see much more justice.

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Like Reproductive Justice.

That's the kind of justice we could really use.

#FJL

~ littlemissmartypants

[Enthusiast]

39. Yes. That's one kind.

In many areas.

[Hotler]

22. Waiting for the shit stains at Fox news to go nuts in 5..4..3..2..1 n/t

[SoapBox]

23. Good.

Last edited Wed Oct 22, 2014, 06:33 PM - Edit history (1)

And Mr. Blackwater...didn't he change the company name and then leave the U.S. for some country in the Middle East?

That POS needs some jail time too.

[sabrina 1]

33. Yes, he changed the name twice and then left the country for either Qatar or UAE or one of those

dictatorship 'allies' of ours. There's more business opportunities there as we now fight 'proxie' wars, iow, we use our dictatorship 'allies' to funnel funds to finance the US biggest business, arms dealing and manufactured wars all over the place. I'm sure he's making money by proxy also.

They are blight on the world, brutal, murderous war profiteers.

[JustAnotherGen]

38. No - he sold it about five years ago

And seems to have an obsession with starting new businesses.

He maintains the trademark name of Blackwater though.

He's currently in an entirely different endeavor - based out of Hong Kong - Frontier Services Group.

While we are blowing things up - China is investing in Africa while stripping it of its resources . . . it appears as the Chairman of the board - he's in hip deep with it.

[MontyPow]

24. Awesome! There are still people with consciences.

[Hekate]

25. Happened under Dubya's watch. Dealt with under Obama's watch. Finally.

Mercenaries are a bad idea. If this nation ("the Homeland&quot wants an army so badly, then bring the draft back and make it accountable to the wrath of the people being dragooned to serve, as with Vietnam.

I've had it up to here with privatizing, well, everything.

[hifiguy]

26. Good.

May they never set foot outside a prison again in their worthless mercenary lives.

[G_j]

29. Finally! good news..

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. Will there be trials for the people who paid or allowed these thugs to kill?

[heaven05]

31. excellent

[Jack Rabbit]

34. Let's put this mercenary company out of business

A corporation with a vested interest in armed conflict should not be in business, especially in a age of corporate fascism.

[raven mad]

35. K&R -

Having a jaw-drop moment, here.

[deutsey]

37. Wow. I'm surprised

but pleasantly so.

[Marrah_G]

42. Good

[LiberalEsto]

43. Long overdue nt

[EEO]

44. Good. All mercenary outfits should be illegal for our country to use.

By any domestic, intelligence, or military agencies. It is ridiculous that I even have to make that statement.

[msanthrope]

46. Excellent!! nt

[peacebird]

47. Good! Now let the families sue Blackwater (or whatever its called now) for compensation

Oh, and Eric Prince too, personally.

[drynberg]

48. Well, right in the middle of a fierce Nor'easter, I'm seeing some great news...

Now, about Wall Street...

[lindysalsagal]

49. Cheney and Rumsfeld are more than happy to let their pions pay the price

for their own greed.

I am glad someone got caught, but it was the wrong guys.

[defacto7]

51. Good news... but

These are just the fall guys. The wealthy owner of the company and its major players are riding high and free. There's no justice until there is. This just looks like justice and that's what it's about.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

53. It took 7 years to get this done?